Personalized greeting cards carry a name, photo, message, or design made for one recipient. You can make them at a desk, at a local print shop, or through an online service. Four choices drive the result: size, paper, print method, and mailing.
What counts as personalized
- A printed name or names on the front, inside, or both.
- A photo of the recipient, the sender, or a shared event.
- Custom text, dates, or a private reference.
- A monogram, custom illustration, or hand-drawn element.
A stock card with a signature is not personalized. Digital printing makes short runs of one to 25 cards practical.
Standard card sizes
- A7: 5 x 7 in (127 x 178 mm). Fits a 5.25 x 7.25 in envelope. Common for photo cards.
- A6: 4.625 x 6.25 in (118 x 159 mm). Fits a 4.75 x 6.5 in envelope.
- A2: 4.25 x 5.5 in (108 x 140 mm). Common for note cards.
- Square: 5.5 x 5.5 in. Costs more to mail in the US.
Card stock and print methods
Card stock is graded by weight. 80 lb cover, 100 lb cover, and 110 lb cover are standard for greeting cards. 100 lb cover equals about 270 gsm. Matte stock takes pen ink and shows fingerprints less. Gloss stock holds photo contrast better.
Methods include digital press, offset, letterpress, foil stamping, and embossing. Digital suits runs under 500 cards. Offset suits larger runs and lowers the unit price. Letterpress and foil add texture and cost per card.
Design files
Photos print at 300 ppi at final size. A 5 x 7 in front panel needs an image of at least 1500 x 2100 pixels. A 72 ppi web image will look soft.
Add 0.125 in bleed on each side of the artwork. Keep text and faces 0.25 in inside the trim edge. Most printers supply a template.
RGB colors shift when converted to CMYK. Bright greens and oranges shift most. Check a proof before a long run.
Postage and mailing
In the US, a card in a standard rectangular envelope at 1 oz or less mails with one First-Class stamp. Square envelopes, rigid cards, and lumpy cards with charms or heavy foil need extra postage. Foreign rates differ by country and weight.
Cost and turnaround
Online print services ship most card orders in two to five business days. Rush shipping adds cost. Unit price drops as quantity rises: 25 cards cost less per card than one card. Handmade cards take longer, from a few days to two weeks.
Questions to ask a printer
- What is the minimum order?
- Does the template include bleed?
- What is the proof process?
- What is the ship date?